Reviews

A manga adaptation that was ruined by the manga.

I was super excited about this movie because of the cast -- our #BestCP from I Want to Eat Your Pancreas (Kitamura Takumi and Hamabe Minami), plus Akaso Eiji (will admit that I don't know the other female lead).
However as the story got on I realized it was so full of typical shoujo manga/drama tropes that I would like jokingly name the most "tropey" plot development possibility and it would friggin' come true. Like it became a hilarious meme that I was predicting the characters' next line or the next camera scene. And the story did get really WTF as it went on...

However the directing is AMAZING. The way the story slowly unfolded and we started to see hints of what each character was thinking based on subtle facial expression hints, or hints in what they said, or random zoom ins of the camera... I really liked the whole process of trying to guess what would happen next. I looked up the director and found he was the same one who did Tomorrow I will Date with Yesterday's You, as well as Girl in the Sunny Place. I loved *both* movies when they came out, and I can see how they were done by the same director -- all movies featured a lot of foreshadowing and shocking (but predictable if you were tracking earlier scenes) plot twists.

Official theme song is by Higedan. I know the song from my Spotify playlist because I love their work for Confidenceman JP. The other BGM were also very nicely chosen and fit the theme. I would totes put the whole OST on repeat.

TL;DR: Watch it not for the ridiculous plot, but for the way the story is told to you. And extra points if you like the actors/actresses, because they really get to show off their skills in this one.

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Better than many other rom com released in 2024

disclaimer: thank God I dint know about the webtoon version.

The storyline - not bad at all. unraveling the curse and lifting it they kept the story intact. mountain God (gumiho) holding a grudge has definitely gave me a vibe of tale of nine tailed but it's not exactly copy.

the cast was good. the kisses were fire!
the supporting charecters got their own story which I liked.

what I don't like is it could be finished in 12 episodes. they dragged a bit. else it's alright.
if someone can buy the plot of kind the land (like the most common 3rd gen chaebol guy with childhood trauma) then I don't know why the same audience did dirty to this show.

ignore the reviews, go watch. I know you will feel it's dragged somewhere, so just fast forward those parts. but just watch. it's not as bad as the reviews are saying!

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Star-studded drama

This is a star-studded drama. Aside from the leads, the attractive Guan Xiao Tong and the handsome Song Wei Long, you will see a lot of familiar popular faces, including Xu Kai, Bai Lu, Wu Jin Yan (Wei Ying Luo from Yanxi Palace) and the handsome Merxat Yalkun (Mi Re Xia Ti).

Unfortunately, this drama does have some glaring flaws. Episodes 1 to 16 are fantastic as the story is original and different from most Chinese dramas I had watched. Guan Xiao Tong acts the arrogant, promiscuous Princess ChuYu who is the emperor's favourite sister as well as Zhu Que, a look-alike assassin trained by the Tianji Sect. Engaged by the princes who are unhappy with the Emperor Liu Ziye of the Liu Song country, a cruel and psychopathic youngster, she is assigned the task of assassinating the emperor. The Tianji Sect plots to let Zhu Que impersonate ChuYu. ChuYu has a harem of male attendants which Zhu Que has to deal with; one of them is the shrewd, perceptive and mysterious Rong Zhi. These episodes are full of suspense as Zhu Que attempts to get close to the emperor while avoiding discovery that she is an impersonate, as well as hilarious as she returns to her palace to be surrounded by men trying to serve her.

The only complaint I have in these episodes is ChuYu's weird hairstyle which looks like an oversize sweet potato sticking on her head - the only competition is Medusa's hair of snakes. ChuYu's hairdo would have been more appropriate in some fairytale stories for the fairy godmother and not quite fit for a period drama.

From episode 17, the story suddenly takes a turn. From this point onwards, the story changes its setting in Liu Song to Wei, a rival country which is often at war with Liu Song. Here, ChuYu (Zhu Que) arrives as the princess sent as the bride to forge a marriage alliance and brings about peace between the two countries. As it turns out Rong Zhi is the Prince Regent in Wei and he marries both Prince ChuYu and Ma XueYun acted by Zhao LuSi on the same day. Neither Rong Zhi nor ChuYu seems to remember their past encounters. This has prompted comments on YouTube that it is a repeat of the Goodbye My Princess story. Also, ChuYu (actually Zhu Que) seems to have suffered a setback in intelligence and a personality change from a trained assassin to a clueless princess.

The only link between the first 16 episodes and the rest of the story is the lame appearance of a story-teller who says he is going to send ChuYu to Wei as his audience are unhappy on how he ends the first part of the story. This transition is very awkward. The cast is almost entirely swapped and from this point onwards, the popular stars appear: Xu Kai, Bai Lu, Wu Jin Yan, Merxat. All the momentum build up during the first 16 episodes are lost and the story starts anew. It is almost like there are two separate stories with some very loose links between the two, and ChuYu's harem of male attendants have all disappeared except for Rong Zhi.

There should have at least been some explanations why ChuYu and RongZhi do not remember the past but it is lightly glossed over. The drama seems to have been written by two different writers. Other than this awkward turn in the story, both stories are quite interesting. And the second part is quite unlike Goodbye My Princess although the theme is similar and therefore lacks originality.

The chemistry between the leads is great. Song WeiLong looked very mature for his age in this drama - I was surprised how young he was when this drama was produced. And you have Wu Jin Yan as the cunning Empress Dowager befitting her previous role as Wei Ying Luo in YanXi Palace. Of course, the star-studded cast does outstandingly well. Zhao LuSi acts a psychopathic woman driven by jealousy, a departure from her usual characters.

Additionally, the Wei costumes for the ladies are pretty but rather monotonous - they are all the same with a stiff shawl and wide skirts. It is almost like the production budget has all been spent on the stars and they have to save on the costume design budget.

So if you overlook these awkward points, this drama is quite interesting to watch. I have given this drama a 8.5 for its star-studded cast, excellent acting and an interesting part 1 - higher than its current rating on mydramalist.com.

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''Strongest Deliveryman'' was a big surprise to me. I started watching it with super low expectations. You may ask why did you start it when your expectations were low? Well, I sometimes do this - try watching a drama that doesn't look good enough in my eyes and, once in a while, this drama becomes one of the greatest shows I've ever watched. Gladly, that was the case with ''Strongest Deliveryman''.

First of all, I want to say that I really appreciate the idea of drama focusing on deliverymen’s life and struggles. It was a breath of fresh air to see something different. I’m not sure how realistic the whole drama is though – the four main characters’ life struggles really seemed too real, but other stories were very exaggerated. Which is not necessarily a bad thing of course, since everything in the drama was handled almost perfectly. The pacing was fine – it’s very slow at first but honestly, I was hooked since the first episode and I’m sure you’ll be, too. In case you are not, you’ll have to wait a bit, because the story picks up after episode 4. Well, the ‘’strongest deliveryman’’ part starts a bit later. It got a little boring though, around episode 12-13. But even during these boring episodes I always found something entertaining and the last two episodes were also good and satisfying.

One thing I have noticed while watching is that the show almost has no clichés. I mean, there were so many times when the writer could have go with the usual tropes and annoy the viewers, but she didn’t do it. I’m very thankful, because I’m so tired of same clichés and tropes. ‘’Strongest Deliveryman’’ has its own rules and that’s what differs it from other rom-coms. Despite being a very light and sweet drama overall, it doesn’t fail to bring depth and emotion to the narrative. It makes you think and feel. Don’t dig too deep though, the drama doesn’t take itself that seriously. It’s actually very simple but that’s why I love it so much.

Choi Kang Soo, our main lead, was a dream come true for me! He is sweet, lovable, kind-hearted, caring and sometimes playful. He is the definition of ''a good person'', but he didn't allow his good heart to turn into his weakness. He is always honest and doesn't like deceiving others. And Go Kyung Pyo's sweet acting made his character even more easy to love. He was just like a puppy, I loved him. Yeah, sorry for my bias lol.
Oh Jin Gyu completely stole the show. He is the character who developed the most throughout the show. He appeared as a spoiled, arrogant boy who didn't appreciate his life enough and relied only on his parents' money. But inside, he was just cute teddy bear and he was slowly showing this side of him. He learnt to cherrish his own life as well as to respect others' lives, too. Kim Sun Ho's acting was more that brilliant! He is one of the most underrated actors I've ever seen. He has so much talent and he showed it in ''Strongest Deliveryman''. He made me like Oh Jin Gyu even when he was acting like a complete jerk. Definitely my favourite character!
Our leading ladies are not so easy to like, at least at first. They are this type of characters that 90% of the drama community finds annoying. Lee Dan Ah is a person who detest her own country and since she doesn't like her life, she often acts too rude and she also hits people without a reason. I think I'm used to this kind of characters and maybe that's why she didn't bother me that much. Actually, I loved her sharp tongue and her passion for working. I loved that when someone looked down on her she didn't stay calm and responded immediately. Chae Soo Bin was good as always, I think this role really suited her.
Lee Ji Yoon is even more spoiled than Oh Jin Gyu and she is the most annoying character in this drama. She was sometimes very cute and innocent though and a lot of scenes with her were exceptionally funny. I was very pround of her at the end, so she definitely develops in a good way.

Overall, ''Strongest Deliveryman''is a drama with an entertaining story, good characters, fairly decent acting and pretty nice OST. It has romance, bromance and an unexpected plot twist in the middle which noone could have predicted. It has its own charm and is very easy to watch. I recommend it if you are not in a mood for a serious watch but you still want something gripping. I think if you only pay attention to the positive aspects and not search for the negative, you'll definitely enjoy it!

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Something is missing

I am a huge fan of reincarnation dramas but unfortunately this was not the one for me. I was expecting to really loved it a smart female lead and a reincarnation plotline are literally my 2 favourite combos in Asian dramas but unfortunately i didn't like this one as much as expected. It felt mid,like something was missing but i can't exactly explain what. The acting is ok,story is easy to follow,couples have good chemistry and plotlines are interesting but at the same time i felt like i was hurrying up to the finish line with this drama especially acter they got married that's when it just became a 2x speed type of show. At the same time it was interesting and nice to watch but not something i would go out of my way to reminisce about.

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First of all, the reason why I watched this drama is that the synopsis said this was the "Chinese Gossip Girl" which I later found out was not the case. I watched Eternal Love and really liked the actors which so happened to be in this drama, so I decided to give it a try.

Be warned and

SPOILER (kind of)

You're going to be disappointed if you're expecting this be like Gossip Girl on The CW.

This show is NOT like Gossip Girl. There was no mysterious "Gossip Girl" who exposed some of the character's secrets. Yeah, there's a lot of drama that happens between the characters. There were a few times where people gossiped on their phones about main characters. The drama has the wealthy/popular/beautiful characters but they aren't really b*tchy or super egotistical. Most of the cast play students, but they're university students....and that's about where the similarities with Gossip Girl ends.

Was it terrible though? For me, even though the plot wasn't what I expected, it wasn't that bad either so it didn't really waste my time.

The cast did pretty well with the acting. I have to give credit to them since most of the actors here were rookies at the time and I think for some, it was their debut drama.

Overall, I think they did a pretty good job!

I rewatched the drama and enjoyed it more since I really like a few of the actors after watching some of their more recent dramas (Dilireba, Zhang Vin Vin, Gao Vengo, etc).


Edit: I forgot to mention that the order of the episodes is really weird. I'm not sure if that's how the drama was directed or purposely edited. But I think the last few episodes don't match up with what happened previous episodes. I don't know if that's because I missed something important or if the people who uploaded the show put it in the wrong order.

For those who need English subs, I don't know if this show has been subbed because I watched this on Youtube which had no subtitles. I also couldn't find any other drama sites that have this show on, but if there is, I think it would be raw.

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Got lost watching the whole drama

How do i even summarize this drama? A mess and a lot of plot loops ?
1st) usually long dramas will drag, and this one did. I enjoyed a good half of it and then started to get confuse and lose interest towards the middle .
2nd) wanted to watched mostly because the main leads were Sheng Yi lun and Wang zhi wen .

Storyline ( let me try my best to summary)
There was an evil sword that no one who control, so Feng gave up her life to put a seal/lock the sword. This causes her husband to go to the dark side, thus creating the evil dude group aka An Ye You Ting. There is also a earthly king and his people, as well as this sect called Jiu Hua. The male lead goes to like a deity school and gets into the sect of Jiu hua, which there is a prince. The female lead is also in the sect. She is the daughter of the Mo family who is respected by the earthly king. The Mo family turns out not to be the family of the female lead, but the female lead is actually the daughter of feng and the evil dude. Meanwhile , another powerful family is the Ye family. One of the main protagonist his the elder Ye son., Ye wu Que. He's obonxious, arrogant and evil. He joins hands with An Ye You ting to try to kill the male lead. I forgot to mention that the male lead once did have any wuxia ability, but somehow got this stone and his powers increased a lot. After that, a whole bunch of stuff happens, lol by the end I'm kinda lost.

Romance- hardly anything between the female and male lead, mostly hugging. Finally the kiss at the very end, lol ep 52!!! Even the second male lead the prince, got a kiss from his loved one...

The last 15 episodes just confused me, it was like two stories were happening because the male and female lead were both separated and faced their own things, and towards the end they just merged the two story into one, and called it an ending.

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Sigh, what is there to say

This is going to be a review focused on events and behaviors rather than individual cast members.

Recommend For: Anyone who likes relationship Drama with an emphasis on the capital “D”, complicated relationships, playing detective/armchair psychologist (I do not mean this in a derogatory way at all—I dabble in both), or learning healthier relationship dynamics (in this case, a lot of it from a what NOT to do perspective lol)

Do Not Recommend For: Anyone looking for a “feel good,” “peaceful,” “not like other dating shows” program. If that’s what you are looking for, drop after episode 3

Okay. Wow. This show started off very peaceful, very heartfluttering, very soft. And ended the complete opposite. It will give you whiplash and, depending on which couples you are rooting for, you may even feel very depleted/down/anxious in real life after certain episodes.

The showmakers did a great job creating storylines—the middle section (before Singapore) dragged a bit but things really picked up once they were in Singapore (the last few episodes). Lots of drama, lots of twists, lots of building up mystery of what certain contestants will do. I think this show went from “Oh yeah, it’s obvious who will pick each other at the end” to “Hmm, this could really end in three+ different ways.” So that element of it is great.

The showmakers tried to make it a heartwarming, deep show, but unfortunately it ended up being a messy drama due to two castmembers being very confused and confusing. Literally, there is no one on the show the two didn’t confuse at one point or another. So I really don’t blame the showmakers for how the show turned out. They did a phenomenal job crafting the familyvibe and making space for the siblings to show love for each other and acknowledge each other in a way that family sometimes forgets to do in regular life. A good reminder for all of us to let those we appreciate know how and why we appreciate them.

Moving on to the main bit: I think this show should be shown in high school health class (remember the healthy relationships module?) because there is SO MUCH to learn. From this show, I’ve become more mindful of:

• Words
o There are times when a castmember is sensitive to words they receive, but then turn around and dish out hurtful words too (not on purpose, probably just didn’t think carefully about the impact of their words or thought they were making a joke when it wasn’t actually funny). It makes me reflect on things I’m sensitive about others doing but excuse when I myself do the same thing.
• Clarity
o Confusing people is hurtful and causes harm over a longer period of time than just telling the truth. Rip the band aid off once instead of tugging at it over and over. From watching the cast, I also learned key things to look for if I suspect someone is being insincere or playing with my emotions:
 Are they clear? Can I ask them a yes/no question and actually receive a yes/no?
 How do I feel when they speak to me? Do I feel anxious, confused, and like I’m always having to *guess* what they’re thinking?
 Do our conversations go anywhere or are they in circles and jumbled?
• Walking Away
o Part of maintaining healthy relationships is knowing when to walk away. I realized that even if all the butterflies and attraction are there, sometimes it is best to just cut the relationship off at the very beginning if it’s already creating anxiety, negative tension, huge yo-yo-ing of emotions. I realized that I personally just want something peaceful and calm, that makes me feel good without the unnecessary anxiety over whether my partner actually likes me or not. Of course, the castmembers are in a situation where they have a limited set of people to pursue for a period of time, so I don’t at all mean this as a dig at any of them who chose maybe not the healthiest connection.
• Values
o Having similar values means you can share a similar foundation. If I’m liberal but my partner is conservative (in terms of family roles, expectations of behavior, etc) it may require a little extra attention to make sure we both feel healthy and supported. There are some differences in values that will prevent a relationship from being healthy and fully supportive of all sides, no matter how wildly the partners love each other.
• Self Care
o Dating when you haven’t worked through your own traumas and issues can mean that your defense mechanisms, built in response to trauma, can hurt your partner. I don’t think I have to be “perfect” before I get into a relationship, but I will definitely be working on my communication and processing. I noticed a lot of pain came from a castmember keeping everything inside and only at the last minute expressing their real feelings (even to their sibling!), when it easily could have been avoided by saying something like “Hey, I’m interested in you but I’m also a little confused about if my feelings are real interest or just fleeting. I want to find out if it’s based in something real and want to let you know about my current confusion so you can make the best of your time here as well.”
o It is impossible to please everyone. Be yourself, be honest (but not curel) with your thoughts and feelings, and you will build a community that supports who you really are as a person.

Anyway, very long review. I didn’t want to write too much about my thoughts on the psychology and behavior of the individual castmemebers (although, believe me, I have a LOT of thoughts, and have shared a lot of it in the comments already lol) since we all interpret their behaviors and character differently, but wanted to instead focus on what I took away from the show. I appreciate the dating programs that also, through the cast, provide insight into a healthier way of creating, maintaining, evolving, or ending relationships.

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If “Love Between Fairy and Devil” & “Till the End of the Moon” had a low-budget baby…

…it would be this mini-series!

So if you like the premise of either but can’t commit to 30+ episodes for each show, then give this a try first. Yes, it’s a mess, but that’s characteristic for mini-series so I find it easy to overlook plot holes and wacky writing for the sake of a fast Xianxia fix.

The plot follows Zhao Lu, a fox spirit (?) played by Lin Jin Yi. She’s a fun character for the most part, mischievous and strong-willed with a bit of a mean streak. Her sect is eradicated by the Demon Lord Lin Fan Ying, so her master sends her back in time to kill the enemy before he becomes powerful enough to kill them. (Yes, just like TtEotM.) 300 years in the past, she meets the Demon Lord as Mu Ting, the young heir to his throne who has yet to turn evil. Through some magic mishaps they become tied together so that any pain or harm done to the FL is suffered by the ML instead. (Yes, just like LBFaD.)

I’m convinced they cast, dressed, and styled Jerome Deng, who plays Mu Ting/the Demon Lord, to resemble Dylan Wang in LBFaD as closely as possible. And while he’s very pretty, his acting was wooden and could have been stronger. Still, I enjoyed seeing his character on screen, and in the physical dimension, he had strong chemistry with the female lead.

I don’t know what to say about the plot…it meanders. It’s chaotic. It leaves no room whatsoever between big events to breathe. Such is the fate of a mini-series. For someone with an attention span as short as mine, it can be a blessing — there’s absolutely no room for filler. But that also means there’s no room for relationships and plotlines to develop in a natural, meaningful way.

TROPES, for those interested (light spoilers):
- ML falls first and quickly
- mischievous, strong-willed FL with a tiny bit of moral greyness
- jealous, possessive, clingy, totally whipped ML
- annoying SFLs
- love square… 3 men fall for the FL
- time travel, change of fate, fated connection

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They really went all out and did not come here to play

Loved it!

I am totally biased because I love seeing Iwata Takanori acting and have been waiting for this ever since he posted about it on his Instagram, but I like it regardless.

This is a very controversial topic, but should be discussed nonetheless. It deals with infidelity from multiple perspectives, and gives an insight into multiple couples who all live in the same apartment complex. Rather than approaching this drama thinking that it has been made to justify certain behaviour (cheating and abuse), think of it as a way to explain it. Because humans aren't perfect, and we don't always make the best decisions with sound judgement. Often, I experienced feeling annoyed with characters but then understanding their struggles. At times it will be frustrating, but that's the point. Certain characters will try to justify themselves, and you'll just roll your eyes, but that doesn't mean the character wronged will forgive them.

The acting was really great. The leads really outdid themselves and went all out. The side characters also put their all into their characters, despite not being part of the main plot. I'm always impressed with Iwata Takanori's work and his choices of roles outside of EXILE-related dramas. I really felt his anxiety over wanting to protect Sakura. Shinohara Ryoko also did really well at expressing her pain. The name of the drama is really important - Fishbowl Wives. And that's exactly how Sakura felt. In the condo, she felt she had to live up to expectations of being totally in love with her husband, but behind the scenes, she was suffering. Shinohara Ryoko did a really good job of expressing that.

Back to the title - it is significant in understanding the emotions of the women in this drama. Many wives in Japan become housewives after marriage, and the wives in this drama are no different. They are confined to the private sphere of their home with no room to grow, and as Haruto explains, goldfish need room to grow in their bowls. With no room to grow, the wives are additionally scrutinized and judged and cannot find a place to fully be themselves. Sakura was able to find such a place with Haruto, but it was different for all the wives.

Side note, episode 6 had a twist that had the potential to make this drama a psychological thriller and I love that. 😂

Overall, the drama raises important questions on what it means to be successful and happy. It also gives an insight into the expectations of women and some of the choices they might make when they feel lost, despite being in a loving marriage. I definitely do recommend this drama, but it is of course important to read the tags, because it is much more mature than other dramas.

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Movie is divided into 3 totally different stories. So...we have tree ways to end our world: zombie attack, robots becoming more spiritual then humans and of course giant 8-ball that will destroy the earth. I have to say the last story was most bizarre and most enjoying to watch. This movie is crazy! Really! Story is unique there is no doubt! I actually enjoyed watching it a lot. Even the zombie version, although I don't usually prefer this kind of movies, but the way zombie virus hit the population was interesting. I can only say that recycling is scary... The robot story reminded me of Japanese anime, and the whole soul in the shell concept. And of course mine favorite 8-ball attack.
This movie is not for anybody, some will hate it some will love it, I'm in between, and I will give this movie strong 7.

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A Force of Nature

She and Her Girls is a biographical account of Zhang Guimei’s tireless quest to educate impoverished young women in Huaping County. It opens with a gut-wrenching portrayal of how Teacher Guimei rescues her fourteen-year-old student, Gu Yu (yes, that is still the age of consent in China), from being sold into marriage to fund her father’s drinking habits. Guimei is a force of nature, sweeping through Huaping County to save one girl at a time—even before she has the means to support their continued education. Through sheer stubbornness, tenacity, and desperate resourcefulness, she secures land for her school, strong-arms provincial authorities, recruits promising teachers, and badgers private entrepreneurs to get her girls’ school off the ground.

I was pleasantly surprised by the humor that lightens what could have been an overwhelmingly heavy story about rural China’s marginalized girls. The narrative doesn’t shy away from mocking Guimei’s more grating traits—from her deafening early-morning bullhorn to her judgmental, unforgiving demeanor. This humanizes her, preventing her from becoming a one-dimensional saint. Beyond Guimei, there’s no shortage of personal sacrifice: Chen Sihai and the teachers put their lives on hold to build the school. The sheer volume of altruism is almost suffocating, but given the obstacles, perhaps that’s what it took to succeed.

While most praise has gone to Song Jia’s award-winning, unflinching portrayal of Guimei, Gu Yu’s story moved me the most and anchored the drama. Though overlooked by awards, I found Lan Xiya (Gu Yu) and Zhang Tianyang (Chen Sihai) even more compelling than Song Jia and Nie Yuan.

The narrative peaks with Gu Yu’s academic journey. Unfortunately, none of the other girls stand out—their stories are neither well-written nor distinct from countless other coming-of-age tales. There were several natural stopping points, but like Guimei herself, the story soldiers on doggedly, trudging through forgettable generations and trite subplots. I enjoyed the drama up until the midpoint; afterward, it became a slog, further weighed down by heavy-handed propaganda.

Despite the strong script, fantastic cast, and standout moments, this is an overrated drama—nowhere near a masterpiece. There’s no segment I’d feel compelled to rewatch. The first half earns an 8.5/10, but overall, 8.0/10 is more than fair.

(To my knowledge, Gu Yu is a fictional character.)

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Not your typical xianxia indeed.

I didn't expect this xianxia to be so different from the usual ones. I did see comments saying it was different, and that got me curious. The first episode got me hooked right away. Its mysterious vibe, portraying the leads as secretive characters, was very interesting. The ML is also a bit of a gray character, while the FL may be kind and empathetic, but she's no pushover. She is someone who has the most beautiful heart, yet the sharpest eyes and is someone who can definitely hold her own. ML, on the other hand, is cunning yet simple. I find the leads very interesting characters.

Speaking of the leads, they were rather mature characters. The drama isn't filled with aggressive, passionate love, but rather trust and empathy. It's also about self discovery, and learning what it means to live and love. And this doesn't just apply to the leads, but even the supporting characters as well. The leading characters also required the actors to show more than speak. And because they were characters who gradually grew feelings for each other, but also keeping many secrets from each other at the same time, their dialogues were sometimes hidden with subtle messages and feelings. This was when the actors' skills really shone, because they portrayed them so well. It wasn't underwhelming or overdone.

I've seen people criticize the cast, saying that the actors are too old to be playing xianxia. But I feel so sorry for them having such a narrow vision. Just as dramas can revolved around people of all ages, why can't xianxia be the same? Plus, this story revolves around characters who have lived for quite a while. They're not some young blood, eager to prove themselves. They are beings who have gone through a lot. It only makes sense for more mature actors to be playing these roles. There may be younger actors who are good in acting, but portraying roles like the leads in this drama definitely require someone who has more experience and understands the layered emotions. I think Tang Yan and Liu Xue Yi were perfect for these two roles.

This drama has many fun and lovable supporting characters too. Besides the leads, they are also the ones who make the whole journey interesting. I really appreciate dramas that don't just focus entirely on the leads but also make use of the supporting characters to add flavors to the plot. One of the supporting characters that really stood out to me was definitely the war demon Qian Lin. He was a complex character as well, and I think went through the most character growth. The young actor also portrayed him really well, making him an easily likeable character.

Overall, this was a really great xianxia drama. It may be slow-paced, but it's very layered and filled with complex emotions. Yet, the intentions of the leads are very simple. They just want to have a simple, happy, peaceful life. It's true that this drama feels a bit like a slice-of-life xianxia drama. But it doesn't lack the angst from xianxia dramas. For the first three quarters, it's filled with mysteries and comedies. Serious conversations get thrown in once in a while to keep things real. And towards the final quarter, that's when the characters are forced to face reality and have to make a choice, and pay for the consequences of their actions. The romance wasn't burning with passion, but it's definitely one that many would wish for. It's more about giving you a sense of security, sticking to promises, understanding each other, and staying by their side no matter what. It's about choosing that person even though you could've done otherwise. This is why I find that their love is mature, because it's more about stability and trust rather than "who loves who most".

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